The French Empire imposed expensive obligations to govern, defend, and invest in its territories. France's industrial heartland was at home, while economically valuable parts of the empire lay far away. Treaty restrictions made this geographic mismatch a central influence on naval aviation doctrine. Repeated changes of government and politicians seeking quick fixes made it harder to sustain the long-term carrier construction and overseas support policy that the empire required.
Chapter · 21:30-24:10
Imperial geography as a strategic driver
France's distant productive territories and its constrained home fleet made naval aviation part of a larger imperial security problem.